The Darkest of Nights
by taggerung0254
Summary: Nooj is forced to do business with Rikku. He finds out more than he wished to know.
1. Default Chapter

**I don't own the characters or the world. I just made use of them. They are ALL belonging to SE.**

He did not have a single clue as to why he was here instead of at Djose Temple. Gippal had always been able to come up with a quick fix for a malfunction in one of his machina limbs. Now the brat was too busy to do an old friend a favor. Now he was in Luca, taking time from his too busy schedule, to visit the workshop of someone Gippal had recommended to fix his arm. He should just go to Djose and make Gippal fix it.

Nooj had never liked Luca much. It was full of people that lived only for the moment. The Eternal Calm had transformed it into a city of pleasure and leisure. Anything could be found there, if one knew where to look. Numbers of illegal establishments were hidden away from the gleaming façade of Luca. Brothels were a favorite place of escape from the world. Your wildest dreams could be realized in one of those houses. Most had nothing more than women working to get gil enough to buy their vice of choice. Some had 'specialists', that could and did provide otherwise unethical means of pleasure. Masochists are not so rare in the world that these women are poor. Most are beyond rich. Men are willing to part with outrageous amounts of gil for confidentiality in such matters. Who wants their enemies to know that pain is pleasure to them? The imagination is the limit for ways to torture a person like that.

This place held no fascination for him. Why in the world a reputable machina specialist would set up shop there was beyond his understanding. Then again, this is where the money is; where the people who are willing to be parted from it are. There is no better place to set up a shop that caters to the people's desire for the new and advanced machina that would make life superior to what it had been.

Nooj was looking at the building that housed the person Gippal had cajoled into helping him and seriously thought about turning around right then and there. The place was bustling with activity; people were going in with their gil and coming out with empty pockets and empty hands. There was a fee to be paid up front for any kind of work to get done, it seemed. How in Spira was he to get this damn arm fixed in a timely manner? There was probably a month long waiting list.

_Gippal is going to pay for this. Next time he needs help with guarding any excavation sites, he can forget about aid from the Youth League. _Many curses were being uttered under Nooj's breath as he made his way inside the building.

A woman sat behind the desk inside the building, writing meticulously in a large notebook. She looked up at his approach. Before he could say a word, she touched a machina that was attached to her head and spoke into it with perfect Al Bhed. Nooj had never bothered to learn the language. That was something he should change soon, now that they were dealing with more and more Al Bhed these days. It would be one more thing to take up his time and energy.

A movement on the wall caught his attention. It was a door, perfectly camouflaged to look like the blue-gray walls. There had not been even a crack where the outline of the door should have been.

A man walked out and greeted him cordially, asking him to "Please follow me." The doorway was connected to a short hallway that held numerous side doors and another door at the opposite end. This was the door he was conducted through.

He was ushered into what looked like enormous caverns, only they were made of steel and metal, not rock. Machinery and tools lined the walls; shelving units were dispersed in intervals between them. Parts and schematics were everywhere. Nothing was dangerously placed, but the sheer quantity of machina and such was overwhelming. Giant cranes and pulley-systems were in place as well, taking up the ceiling space. The smell of grease and oil permeated the air, along with the tangy odor of metal. Nooj thought that he had a piece of metal in his mouth, the odor was so strong.

He was thankful that there was a clear walkway against the far wall. Being hit with a crane hook was not something Nooj wanted to experience. It would be more pleasant than losing his limbs again, or having his back sliced open like he was a fish being de-boned, but not what he was in the mood for at the moment. After walking for what seemed to be hours, he was shown to a door and told to go inside.

So inside he went. This new room was large, but not nearly as large as the previous one. It too held parts and papers and had a crane and a pulley-system. A figure was sitting on a stool, concentrating on some intricate piece of machinery. She did not even look up when he entered.

"Am I disturbing you?" he asked, slightly angered by this woman's lack of manners. _How can you schedule a meeting and not acknowledge the person you are supposed to meet with? _

"Huh?"

The woman looked up at the sound of his voice, obviously startled. So startled that the soldering iron in her hands slipped and burned her thigh. After many Al Bhed curses, she turned around to glare at him.

"You could've knocked or something, you know."

"Usually when someone enters the room, you stop what you are doing to see if they are worth wasting your time on."

She stared at him, and then burst out laughing in full Rikku form. Nooj had not meant the comment to be funny.

"How true is that? Worth wasting my time on…that is so true. Never would have thought you to be a well of wisdom, Nooj."

"Hmm… I never thought you would be serious enough to do anything worthwhile, Rikku."

"That is NOT what you say to someone doing you a favor."

"No, you're doing Gippal a favor, not me."

"Fine. Be a grouch." Rikku reached under the counter she was working from and pulled out another stool. "Sit."

"I am not a dog."

"Sit, please."

Nooj sat down, figuring that it would be easier and less time consuming than arguing with her. Much to his surprise, Rikku was examining the arm before he even got his sleeve rolled up all the way. Those bright eyes were intent on the problem before her.

"You said it won't move right at the elbow or the last two fingers?" She was talking to herself, not to him. Deftly removing the outer covering of his machina arm, she began poking and prodding with various tools and her bare hands. Frowning slightly, Rikku removed a few more pieces and probed a little more. "Move your forearm up." Nooj did so, gratified to see that it was malfunctioning at its worst instead of pretending to be fine. It jerked slightly and a slight squealing sound came from the joint. "Make a fist." Nooj followed directions, making the fist, but without the last two digits fully cooperating. More prodding came about, and then she got up to rummage in a small drawer. The shelves of her workshop held drawers of varying sizes, all labeled with words and pictures.

"I can fix it, Mr. Youth League, but it'll only last for so long. The parts are worn out. Not to mention out dated."

"Are you calling me old?"

"No, I said they were out dated. Geez, take offense to everything, why don't you." Rikku was still searching for something, apparently to fix his arm. "You should probably get a whole new set."

"How long will this last just fixing it? I haven't the time to spare for getting new ones at the moment. Perhaps when I'm old and gray I'll have the time."

"I thought you were a Deathseeker. They don't think about getting old and gray." She gave him a peculiar look before going back to her search.

"Leblanc made me promise not to talk like one. Seemed to bother her somewhat."

"Well, yeah. It would bother me if _my_ boyfriend talked about dying all the time. Not that I have one, but that's beside the point." She made a face at drawer she was looking in and went to another. "I know I have some…anyway, it'll last a few weeks. If you're gentle with it. No guarantees though. I can make you a new arm before that gives out again. But it'll cost you. Big time."

"What do you mean, 'big time'?"

"I'll have to put it together before that one malfunctions again. There are only so many times you can fix a part before the surrounding parts start to wear out too."

"So it will cost me because you need to do it quickly?"

"Not just that, Mr. Grump." Rikku was now starting to get angry at the lack of success she was having in her hunt. A foot stool was now being deployed in an effort to find whatever part she was searching for. Before Nooj could respond to the 'Mr. Grump' comment, she continued talking. "It'll be labor intensive and cost a hefty amount of gil just to make. You _do_ want it to last, don't you?"

"Of course I do. Getting these fixed is the bane of my existence. One of them, at least."

"Are you including Leblanc in that, or having to deal with me?"

"Both. What is it that you are looking for? I do not have time to waste sitting here."

"Leave if you want, but you'll take all those parts with you and pay me for taking up _my_ time. I do have plenty of orders to take care of." She nodded her head to a stack of papers that was threatening to topple over on a desk in a corner.

"You are as annoying as Gippal, did you know that?"

"Hey! Don't you go comparing me to Gippal! I'm not a one eyed man whore who thinks he's the gods' gift to women."

"I'm sure he'll be glad to know what you think of him."

"Go ahead and tell him. I've told him that to his face. I've also called him-WOO HOO!" Nooj winced at the jubilant victory cry. "Hiding from me, you little _pycdynt_!"

"Must you be so loud?"

"Just to annoy you, Mr. Grump. You're a worse grump than Auron was."

Rikku returned to the counter and began making the repairs. She remained silent, apparently concentrating as she had been when he had walked in the room. Nooj took the opportunity to asses the young woman in front of him.

She really was beautiful. With a body most other women would die for. No longer bikini-clad, the shorts were still short and the shirt consisted of more material than the shorts did. At least there was a semblance of modesty in her attire. A very small semblance. The idea of spending time between the sheets with her was tempting, but her hyper personality grated on his nerves too much for that to ever happen. Or did he just deny what his body was telling him? Here was a lovely young woman, giving him her full attention, and he was thinking about how he would not bed her because of her personality. How fickle the male mind can be to make him desire yet despise her.

He was tracing the outline of her breasts with his eyes when something made him look closer at her arm. It had tiny scars all over it. The other arm was similarly decorated. They were present along her shoulders and neck as well. They were almost invisible to the naked eye and had been made recently.

"Where did you get those scars?"

"Huh?" Rikku blinked at him in confusion. "What scars?"

"These." Nooj touched her upper arm lightly, and felt the muscles twitch at his touch.

"I get them here."

She was a very good liar. Even looked him in the eyes when she spoke. No trembling or nervous sweating. What gave her away was that she was not being 'Rikku'. Rikku is not calm and cool under any circumstances. There were no vehement denials or waving of arms. Anyone else with that face could have fooled anyone but him.

"I see. You ought to be more careful."

"Uh huh. That coming from _you_ sounds very weird." Rikku replaced the outer casings and stood up. "That'll do it for now. Do you want the new one or not?"

"Can you get it done in a timely manner?" _I think I hit a sore spot with those scars. I wonder…never mind. It has nothing to do with me. There is nothing to concern me but her ability to manage machina. _

"Didn't we go through this before? Yes, but like I said, it'll cost you."

"Very well. Do I pay up-front? That seems to be the way you operate here."

"Nah." She made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "I know you're good for it. But you'd better have the money in full when it's done."

"Agreed."

"Well, then. Let's get to work!"

It took over two hours for Rikku to get all of the measurements and technical information needed to build a new arm. There were pages upon pages of notes, all taken in a remarkably neat hand. Nooj had passed the time thinking. Mostly about how much of his time had just been taken up that should have been spent on more important matters. A few of those thoughts strayed back to Rikku's scarred arms. They were not the kind of scars one would get under normal circumstances. They did not distract from her attractiveness, yet they were disturbing to him.

His thought process was interrupted by someone entering the room and letting the door shut rather loudly. He turned to face the door just as Rikku did. Yuna was standing there, giving them an odd look. She quickly erased it and gave them a smile.

"Rikku, are you going to be too busy for dinner with your cousin? I haven't seen you in ages."

"Sorry Yunie, I'm too busy to even stop for sleep. Let alone eat. Maybe next time."

"Next time, it's always next time with you now! What is wrong with you!"

"Nothing's wrong, Yuna. I'm **busy**, not ignoring you. I have a business to run, ya know!"

The two were locked in a rather hot stare, both forgetting that Nooj was even present. Yuna was such a calm, collected young woman. He was surprised to see her in a passion. She turned those hot eyes on him and he thought that Yuna was trying to peel his skin off. The idea was rather amusing. Yuna seemed the squeamish type. He could see her retching at the sight of someone being skinned alive.

"I never thought you would end up being a conquest, Nooj. What'll Leblanc say?"

"Yuna! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Rikku was on her feet and standing about a foot in front of Yuna. "Insulting a paying customer of mine and entering a _restricted_ area. Just because you're the High Summoner doesn't mean you can stick your nose into everyone's business or break rules at your leisure. Unless you have something like an apology coming out of your mouth within the next ten seconds I suggest you leave."

"What the hell is wrong with you is the question. Don't think for a minute that we don't notice those scars on you. Or that we've not noticed you have a different man in bed nearly every night."

"I've told you before. It's none or your damn business what I do. Stop trying to sort out other peoples problems. I don't need your help and I don't want it. So leave. Now."

Yuna left, giving Nooj a very angry glare before exiting the room.

"What was that about? She is not usually so angry. Or spiteful."

"She's pissed because I keep telling her to mind her own damn business."

"She is concerned for you. Why not tell her and get it over with? Then she would leave you alone."

"I haven't told her because she couldn't handle it."

"And what is that?"

Rikku gave him a suspicious look before answering.

"Why do you care? I'm just the annoying young blond to you."

"I'm curious about those scars. Do you cut yourself, or have another person do it?"

"I do it."

That was all she said, but her face was full of an emotion that he recognized all too easily. It was between despair and apathy. So out of place, yet there it was, clear as day. Her entire body stopped moving for a moment. Then she was replacing the outer casings of his arm.

"Why?"

Rikku stopped moving again, her hands half way to her tools. When she spoke, it was not in the perky Rikku voice he had become somewhat accustomed to. It was quiet, but rang with undertones of steel.

"Why? You want to know why. How funny you should ask that. It's because of two former members of the Youth League. I think you know them. Your patrols found them in that cave off Mushroom Rock Road."

That made Nooj give her a sharp look. No one knew about the bodies in that cave. Very few inside of the Youth League knew of them.

"How do you know about them?"

"Because I was the one who left them there." The look of disbelief on Nooj's face seemed to amuse her. "One of them was in the back of the cave. The other was near the entrance. The idiots made the mistake of keeping my knives handy. I had to break the first one's thick neck and steal my knives back before I could get to the other one. He tried to run away from me."

"And what warranted their murder?"

"Don't you know what most men do to young Al Bhed women? That's why you never see a lone Al Bhed female. They enjoy raping us."

"No member of the Youth League would do such a thing. They may be a motley bunch, but-"

"That's the reason Yuna doesn't know. She wouldn't believe me, just like you don't. Do you want to see the scars they gave me, Nooj? Yuna doesn't know about those ones, just the little ones I give myself."

Rikku pulled her shirt off before he could answer. The skin of her torso had long, angry red scars all over it. They crossed each other here and there, making sickening patterns along her ribs and stomach. He could see where they extended along to the back and how three of them were interrupted by her bra, only to continue on to the collar bone. All of them looked fresh and painful somehow, even though they were healed.

"They hurt me before and during. They **enjoyed** hurting me. All this blood, pouring out of my body, and they laughed. Laughed and tore what was left of my clothes off so that there was nothing to impede them. The one who wasn't busy raping me was recording his friend and cheering him on. I have the sphere, if you don't believe me. I made sure to take it out of the recorder before I left. After I was finished hacking at them. It recorded that too. Care to watch it, Nooj?"

She turned around and went to a locked cabinet, exposing her back. There were more scars there than on her chest. Only these looked more creative. A sort of pattern had emerged instead of random slices. Rikku turned back to him with a sphere in her hand. Walking back to the counter, she laid it there beside him.

"Take it. I have no reason to keep it anymore. Maybe then you'll believe me, when you watch it."

This was unprecedented news to Nooj. No man or woman was allowed to stay in the ranks of the Youth League if there was any crude or illegal behavior. Yet here Rikku was telling him that two members had raped and tortured her, and that she had proof of it in a sphere and the scars on her body. She was not deceiving him either. No lies had come forth from her.

Anger surged into existence within Nooj. True, he held no love for women. They were there for his pleasure. They were also there to be pleased if he so wished it. But they were not to be abused or harmed. Men could and did receive cruelty from him. Never women. They were the softer side of life. A glimpse into the world of kindness and of **life**. Such rare things were to be cherished, not destroyed. Emotions other than exhaustion and depression had all but left his mind. Now anger had returned, temporarily banishing all other feelings.

Unwillingly, his hand flesh and blood hand reached out to touch those angry scars. Rikku did not pull away, but he could feel her tense up, like she was ready for something to happen. They almost felt hot. Her soft skin was marred by the rough scar tissue, like a rose petal that had been damaged.

"You're lucky, Nooj. The last guy who touched those scars wound up with some of his own."

"I can imagine." He was still tracing the lines of them with his fingertips. "Why hurt yourself then?"

"It makes me feel clean, for one thing. Like all the badness is whisked away with the blood and the pain. It doesn't last, but for that minute or two, it's heaven."

"And the other 'thing', as you put it?"

She was silent for a moment, debating what to say. Or what not to say. Rikku was not stepping away from his touch, so she would tell him eventually. He would enjoy himself until then. Yes, the actions of those men angered him, yet here he was in a private room with a half naked young woman that had just made him feel for the first time in months, if not years. There was nothing wrong with admiring her body until the moment ended.

"I can't…I can't find any pleasure in sex without the pain from a knife wound. Nothing else works…"

"Then why bother with it? You are the very last person I would expect to be a masochist."

"Because there is nothing left for me. No Al Bhed man wants a wife that's been raped. The one who raped her would be killed, but there's nothing 'pure' left of them. We're pitied and treated with kindness. Usually made into a mistress because there is no honor in such a wife. It sucks, but that's the way it is."

"How very wrong. Is that why you avoid Gippal at all costs now?"

"Yes. He wouldn't want me, if he knew. And he would ask about those scars you seem to like touching. And what would he say when we're in bed, and I pull out a knife? It's better this way."

"A different man every night, as Yuna says? Is that not very unsatisfying? Most women want the same man every night. Commitment."

"Well I don't. I'd hate to have to hurt the same man over and over again when he tries to touch my scars. He'd be terrified of me."

"I'm terrified of your eternal happiness. But I do agree with you about Gippal's personality. Brat is too curious for his own good. I think he would look past this though. For all his arrogance and the shallow persona he uses with other people, he would never hold such a thing against you."

"Don't be so sure of that." Rikku stepped away from him then, but not with the urgency he had expected. She just went back over to where her discarded shirt lay and put it back on. There was no awkwardness or shame in her manner. It was merely the end of the conversation. "Do you still want the new arm or not?"

"Yes. How long will it take?"

"I don't know…a few weeks I guess." Rikku leaned against her desk, the one with all the paper work on it. "I'll let you know when it's done."

Nodding, Nooj stood up, grateful to stretch his non-machina limbs. He watched Rikku return to the work counter and begin tinkering with whatever had been occupying her before his arrival. He had been dismissed from her mind.

Walking out the door, he took one last look at her. She was sitting as she had been before, but her shoulders were slumped and her head was in her hands. It was a posture of defeat.

"If you are unhappy with the path you are on, then forge a new one. Nothing holds you back but yourself."

Rikku looked at him from the corner of her eye, her face void of any emotion. Then she turned away, back to her machina. Nooj walked out the door, trying to remind himself that this was none of his concern. It was too late for such thoughts. Words of wisdom and kindness had been spoken. Now what had he gotten himself into?


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright sea monkeys! Here is the latest version of The Darkest of Nights. I've been working on this for months now, and I think I have something passable now. Totally threw away the first version. Second was kinda 'eh'. This is the best so far, and the best I think I'll get. I might revise it. I might not. All depends on what mood I'm in. loo!**

**FFX-2 is the property of Square Enix, and I am only borrowing the characters to write a story. **

Nooj sat in his office, the door locked and the lights dimmed. He gazed at the sphere sitting on his desk. It was a sphere that contained the evidence of a brutal crime, along with an equally brutal punishment. He had watched it entirely, not because he wanted to see Rikku being raped, but because he wanted to make sure he bore witness to the crime before acting.

Knowing what was on that sphere and actually viewing it were two different things. He had seen the evidence of the crime with his own eyes in the form of physical scars. He had seen the change in personality and behavior. Yet watching it take place was disturbing. Nooj had seen many brutal things in his life. some of them done by his own hands. Never once had he brought such harm to a woman. In battle, they were an enemy. A faceless entity that must be destroyed. There was never any cruelty either. A clean death was given, even if it was at a cost him.

The two men in the sphere had been prized members of the Youth League. No one had thought them to be capable of more than stealing a cake from the kitchens. They had gone through the ranks easily and had won the respect of many League members.

And he had just watched them commit a horrendous crime.

It did not matter that they were already dead by means of the young woman they raped. He could not in good conscience allow the crime to go unknown and unpunished. They would be known as the criminals they were, even if the victim was not revealed to the whole of Spira. It was none of his business if Rikku wanted to stay quiet about it. It was his business to keep the name of the Youth League clear of wrong doing.

Their bodies would not be exhumed, but all honors the men had received in life would be removed. Rapists did not deserve even a dog's death, let alone a proper burial. But they were already buried, and they would stay that way. Nooj disliked disturbing the dead.

The orders were written up already. They simply awaited his signature. Captain Lucil would carry the orders out quickly and efficiently. No awkward questions would be asked. That was the reason she was his second in command. Others might question his orders, but Lucil knew that there was always a reason why he did something, even if it was not revealed.

Nooj tapped his desk with the tip of a pen while perusing the papers in front of him. Everything was in order. With a few scratches of his pen, the reputations of two prestigious men were destroyed.

------------------------------------------------THE NEXT MORNING-----------------------------------------------

"Hey, Noojster! What's happening?"

"Not much that would interest you, Gippal."

"You're right there." Gippal seated himself across from Nooj and propped his chair back on two legs with his hands behind his head. "How's that new arm of yours? Looks like Rikku did a hell of a job on it."

"Indeed. I shall be giving her the business needs of the Youth League since you seem not to have the time or need the money. She is most productive. And less annoying."

"I can see that." There was a pause before Gippal continued. "And how's Rikku doing?" The words sounded casual, but Nooj was adept at reading Gippal's body language. He could see the concern and worry that the younger man tried to hide. Gippal had been in love with Rikku before he had joined the Crimson Squad. He had never acted on those feelings, and was regretting it now.

"Well, when last we met she was doing well. You could always ask her yourself."

"She won't talk to anyone."

"Really."

"Yeah, really. I worry about her. She works too much and too hard."

"Not to mention all of those so-called conquests." It was not very often Nooj got to tweak Gippal's nose about anything, so he was enjoying the moment immensely. His words had the desired effect on Gippal. He watched as the younger man's face hardened with anger and jealousy.

"How'd you hear about those?"

"Well, when Yuna accused me of being one, I got curious and asked Rikku about it."

"She accused YOU! HA!" Gippal sobered quickly. "You're not, are you?"

As much fun as it was to tease Gippal, Nooj was not entirely heartless about the situation. Gippal was in a state of turmoil over Rikku, and he did not want to add to it.

"No. Certainly not." The relief on Gippal's face was comical.

"So…what's got Elma and the others in a tizzy?"

"I suppose it has something to do with the criminal charges against two of their deceased comrades.

"Charges? What could they have done to make the Noojster charge them after death?"

"The rape and assault of a young woman. I would have done so earlier, had I known of the incident. As it stands it only came to my attention recently."

"Huh. And how'd you find out about it?"

"The victim came forward and told me. There is a sphere to prove her story."

"Well, that's cheery. Anyway, how about you lending me a hand with the excavation at Baaj?"

"Ask Rikku for a hand. I believe she saved the old one if you really need it."

"Did you just make a joke, Noojster?"

"No. But if you want men or supplies, I may be of assistance."

It was a few minutes before Gippal stopped giving Nooj a quizzical look.

"You sure you're feeling okay? Sure you're not sick or something?"

"I am quite well. Now, is there something else beyond the assistance for Baaj?"

"Ah…nope." Gippal righted his chair and got up to walk to the door. "Hey. Next time you see Rikku, tell her not to be such a stranger." With that he walked out, leaving Nooj in a dilemma.

As a friend, he should tell Gippal about what had happened to Rikku. Yet Rikku had told him in confidence. Where did telling Gippal fall on the narrow path of betrayal? Too far on either side, and he would be out a good friend or a new and talented acquaintance that did not want Gippal to know her personal affairs.

_Dilemmas, dilemmas._

**I still think I suck at writing Nooj. Its not as bad as I thought it would be though. Guess I'm not a hopeless case after all! **


	3. Chapter 3, take 2

**More of this story! I'm slowly getting it worked out. Yeah. **

**I redid some of the conversations here, because I agreed with Ikon about the 'same'ness of the speech. I think I got it fixed. And I wanted this chapter short and sweet because the next one is turning out to be a doozie. Thanks for the feedback, you guys! **

**I own nothing but the ideas herein. All else is property of Square Enix. **

He was finally back at the Youth League Headquarters. The journey from Bevelle had been uneventful and slow due to the downpour or rain Spira was experiencing. If there was rain, everything changed to the pace of a lazy caterpillar, or more accurately, a slug. Nooj had not yet figured out how or why rain should slow things down in such a dramatic way, but one day he would. In any case, the travel was behind him. His office door was waiting to be opened and welcome him into a mock-up of peace. No one bothered him there when the door was shut.

Simply entering the room removed the frustrations of the day. Nooj took a deep breath after the door was closed. He barely had time to register the scents of metal and oil before the lights flickered on. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness.

After several blinks, his eyes adjusted fully, and Nooj found Gippal sitting in his chair, feet on the top of the desk and arms crossed. One look at the younger man's face put Nooj on alert. A dangerous glint was in Gippal's eye. Gippal was not someone that he wanted to have as an enemy. The man was simply unpredictable when it came to fighting.

"You knew. You knew, and didn't tell me." Gippal made a flash movement with one arm. Nooj caught an object before it hit him, finding the sphere Rikku had given him in his hand. "Why?"

"You watched it, I assume."

"Yeah. I watched it. Made me want to puke and rip their heads off all at the same time. Now tell me why, _old friend_."

"If she had wanted you or anyone else to know, then she would have told her story herself."

"Damn it, Nooj!" Gippal stood up and practically stalked over to Nooj. "You know damn well how I feel about her. This is why she's avoiding my like I'm a Malboro, isn't it?"

"Yes." Gippal just stared at him, his one good eye blazing. "What would you have me do, Gippal?" Nooj said with a sigh. "It is none of my concern what she does or wants done. And how am I to tell a friend that the girl he is in love with was tortured and raped? That she subsequently ended their lives afterwards? Would you rather I throw that sphere at you, saying 'This is interesting, you ought to watch it, Gippal'?"

"It happened like that anyway, Noojster. You should've just lied about the whole 'evidence sphere' thing. I wouldn't have come here snooping."

"I shall remember that in the future. What other sensitive material did you riffle through here?"

"Just that safe under the desk. Clever little thing, but not good enough. I'll make you a better one once I stop being pissed at you."

"And what will get me back in your good graces quickly? There are things I must do that you can not be in my office for."

"One of those 'things' better not be having a heart-to-heart with my would-be girlfriend." Gippal stated darkly.

"No, as a matter of fact. That is not on the agenda for today. Or anytime for that matter."

"I still don't get why she told you. Why not Paine, or even Lulu? Why the Deathseeker? You're not the 'come to me with your problems' type."

"Perhaps it is because I have seen the darker side of life more than anyone else she knows. I accept the dark things in this world. I do not fear them or disbelieve. What would you have done, honestly, if she had told you?"

"I...I wouldn't have believed her. Not at first. Damn it..."

At this, Gippal closed his eye and blindly walked over to a chair. He sat with his head in his hands, looking as if the world had ended.

"I don't know, Nooj. I just...why didn't she tell me? Tell anyone?"

"Because she is afraid. Afraid that she will be treated differently."

"What? She can't honestly believe I'd follow that crap about not being worthy of marriage! We've been friends since before we could walk!"

"That doesn't mean she is not frightened. You saw that sphere. It must have taken a very long time for her to accept that. The fact that she survived mostly intact is a testament to her strength. But she is still human."

Gippal screwed up his face slightly.

"It's not like I'm some kind of rule follower. I broke more rules than I can remember. I'll be damned if I treat Rikku like some mistress just because of a few old thoughts."

"If you are that adamant about it, go corner her. She might talk to you about it."

"And if she doesn't believe me?"

"Convince her otherwise."

"I still want to know why she told you.."

"Because I am impartial to her and nearly everything else. Whatever her reasons, I am not in her head to know them. Nor do I wish to be. If you really want to know why, then ask her yourself. I am sick unto death of hearing you ask that question."

"Yeah, ask her myself..." Gippal was thinking aloud, something he only did when in deep thought. He walked out without any further words. Nooj sat down in his chair, rubbing at his temples.

_How did I manage to get involved in this? Am I to become an Oddwoman? What a horrid thought._


	4. Chapter 4

**Here we go, the latest chapter! I was working on this in NY, and I think I like it. **

**Let's see...Nooj went to Rikku for a fix up, found out about the badness of rape that happened to her, offered advice, made the bad guys bad guys for everyone to know, Gippal found the sphere recording of Rikku being raped, got mad and then went out to find Rikku and talk to her. That's the gist of it. If you really want a more indepth summery, go read the rest of the chapters. I don't have the time or inclination to do more. **

**I do not own FFX-2 or any character therein. Only the words are my own. All else is property of Sqare Enix. **

The torrents of rain never ceased. Spira was slowly drowning in its own waters, and it was putting a damper on the spirits of the inhabitants. Everyone was desperate for a glimpse of the sun, dogs and cats included. A morose mood had settled over the land. One would almost believe that the Eternal Calm had never happened. People were moping about, heads bowed against the rain and wind while slogging through the water logged streets and mud puddles. The chocobo caravans had to be halted all together because the roads were impassible.

The weather suited Nooj perfectly. He seemed to be the only one unaffected by it. He preferred it to the sun filled days Spira was accustomed to. A slate-gray sky was soothing to the eyes and soul. None of the blinding rays accosted him. Nor did any of the people. The over-eager faces of the populace were not inflicted upon him. That alone was worth more than the entire treasury of the Youth League.

Nooj was expecting another quiet day of paper shuffling when he opened the door to his office. People seemed unable to make their own decisions, so they flooded his office with questions and pleas for help in one matter or another. For all that the office was a sanctuary to him, it was not entirely safe from the hoards. It had large windows from floor to ceiling, which he usually kept covered with blinds. An inordinate amount of sunlight came through otherwise. The thought behind their position was that sunlight would cheer him. It had the opposite effect. Today would be the first time they would remain drawn while he was inside.

The only thing he missed about decent weather was the sunrise. He would watch it every morning. Human hands could not affect or change it, so it served as a reminder that there were limits to what any one person could do.

He also watched the dawn because he rarely slept. Sleep was something he avoided at all costs. Sleep brought dreams, which in turn brought hope. Then one would wake and find that the dreams were just that, and consequently get slapped in the face by reality. It was not a pleasant feeling to have one's hopes ripped away upon waking.

_Let those who can afford to dream do so. I have no time for dreams. _

With a sigh, he stepped inside to begin the day's work. Once the door was closed behind him, Nooj found that he was not alone.

Rikku was inside his locked office, four stories above ground. There was no way to access his office but through the door he had just entered. She was standing near the windows, staring at the falling rain, arms crossed, weight on one leg while the other stood slack. Her breath fogged up the window slightly, making it impossible to see her expression.

"Al Bhed seem to like breaking into my office."

"You told him."

Rikku did not turn to address him, but judging from her posture and tone of voice, she was unhappy and exhausted.

"No. He broke in, probably just as you did, and found that sphere himself. Are all Al Bhed such good thieves?"

"Just a few. The one who trained us died when Home was destroyed."

Silence reigned supreme in the room. Nooj would not be the one to break it. Rikku would do so soon enough. At least she was no longer jumping about or jittering as she had on the first meeting with the Gullwings.

"He asked me, why I never told him. Why I never told anyone."

"Two good questions to ask from his position."

"Huh. I told him the truth. I don't know why. I could've, and Pops would've ripped their bodies limb from limb and used their intestines as ropes to hang the pieces by. And then everyone would know. I'd get all kinds of pity and whispers behind my back. They'd pet my hand and stay away from the subjects of men and sex. No thanks."

"I do believe him, though, about the whole 'I don't give a shit about what happened beyond wanting to kill them again' thing. I just...I cant' accept what I've done, been doing, you know? I'm not worth much of anything because of the way I've been acting."

"So, you believe him, yet you ran away, I take it."

"Yep. I ran away, cause he wouldn't leave. I even asked him nicely. I could've just thrown him out. Instead I ran out of _my _office."

"I hope you did not bury him under the crane in your workroom."

"HA! Tempting, but no. He's alive and well. Just not knowing where I'm at right now. I'd like to keep it that way, if you don't mind."

Nooj sat down in his chair. His back was to Rikku, who was still facing the windows. He wondered, briefly, why she decided to come to him with this instead of Yuna of Paine. That thought was quickly cut short. Rikku was correct in thinking that Yuna couldn't handle the situation correctly. For all that she saved Spira; Yuna simply did not have the stomach to deal with something so violent and horrifying. Paine would have been a better choice, but still, she cared too much to offer any assistance. He was still thinking when the door opened and Captain Lucil walked in.

"Meyven Nooj, I have the reports you requested-oh! Forgive me; I was not aware you had such an early meeting."

"It's of no consequence. I will take the reports." The woman handed them over, sparing a glance in Rikku's direction before turning to leave. "Wait a moment." Lucil stopped near the door, awaiting orders. "Rikku, when did you last rest?"

"I dunno...two, three days ago I guess. Why?"

"Captain, take her to one of the guest quarters. No disturbances unless by my order."

"Sir." A smart salute followed her acknowledgement. "This way, please."

Rikku sighed quietly, and turned to follow. Lucil gasped at her appearance. She was deathly pale, with eyes that seemed to stare out from a black abyss. The usual gleam was gone from those eyes, replaced by a dull sheen. It seemed to be a zombie standing before them instead of a human being. She didn't shuffle along like one though. Rikku moved with the same speed and economy of movement Nooj had witnessed in Luca.

"Please, follow me." Captain Lucil said, recovering quickly. Rikku just nodded and went after her. Nooj watched them leave, wondering how long it would take Gippal to track Rikku here. Not that he had any intention of stopping him from finding Rikku. The sooner this was taken care of, the sooner he could stop being bothered with other people's issues and focus on his own. Deathseekers were invariably selfish creatures. They only wanted to die. Nothing else mattered.

Yet, Nooj could not figure out why he was concerned with Rikku. Perhaps it was because she stirred something other than lust or depression in him. The anger he had felt when he learned of what had happened was still with him. It engulfed his thoughts if he let his mind wander. He was unaccustomed to being concerned for or about anything but his own demise. Nooj could not decide if it was going to pass or stay with him.

"_If you are unhappy with the path you are on, then forge a new one. Nothing holds you back but yourself_."

Those words had sealed his fate. What else would those words bind him to?

**Reviews would be welcome. Thanks a peach!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I've got the new chapter! WOO! I've been thinking this scene through for a while now, and this is the best way to execute it. The next chapter will be…interesting. Ah, but that's next chapter! **

**So, Rikku came to confront Nooj about telling Gippal about what happened to her, and then she gets shown to a room to sleep. Nooj needs better security in that place, what with Gippal and Rikku sneaking in all the time. **

**I don't own FFX-2. It's the property of SE, not mine. I just used the characters for my own whims. **

Rikku had been sleeping for the past day and a half, according to Captain Lucil. No sounds or signs of movement came from within the guest room she was occupying. Lucil had known the unspoken orders from Nooj without any prompting on his part. She was to look in on the young woman, but not disturb her. Lucil had done just that. Every few hours, she looked in to see Rikku lying in bed, unmoved from where she had laid down when first escorted inside. Whether that was the case or not was up in the air. It could be that Rikku simply heard Captain Lucil walking toward her room, and she resumed her position on the bed until she was left alone again.

Nooj doubted that was the case. Captain Lucil was utterly silent when the need arose. She managed to scare the daylights out of nearly every cadet or guard that was slacking their duty. She was feared by them, and rightly so. The last guard found sleeping on the job ended up digging holes in the ground as tall as he was, then filling them back in for three days straight with his only rations being bread and water. Nooj approved whole heartedly with her disciplinary actions. He would not have allowed them any rations but water.

"You say she has not moved at all? How odd."

"Yes, sir. The way she fell into bed, I would think she'd sleep for quite some time."

"Thank you, Captain. That will be all."

"Sir." Lucil executed a perfect salute, and left Nooj's office. Nooj leaned back in his chair, setting the pen in his hands into its holder. The pen was made entirely of black jade, and used small tubes of ink within the pen body instead of using an inkwell. A much easier design than the pens Spira had used for the last thousand odd years. Having Gippal as a friend was a boon when little inventions like that pen came into being. Gippal had them made specifically for him, with a larger casing and fine tip. His cursing the makers of writing implements seems to have paid off.

"She has not moved at all..." Nooj sat there, pondering whether or not he should check up on Rikku himself. In the end, he decided to go and see if she truly was sleeping or if it was a farce. Not that he could sneak up on the girl with the noise his machina leg caused on the polished floors. At the very least, he would know if she was dead of alive.

He walked along the halls, admiring the craftsmanship of the building itself as he went. The floor did not squeak or groan under any amount of weight, and the windows and doors were all level. Nothing was off kilter or misaligned. The brightly polished floors were another testament of Captain Lucil's discipline. A minor wrong-doing resulted in perfectly polished floors, scrubbed toilets or any number of household chores that needed doing. It was an ingenious way to keep the Headquarters in perfect condition. There were no servants here, so it was a necessity.

When he reached Rikku's door, he knocked quietly before entering. No sound issued from within, so he waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room before going further. Rikku was indeed lying on the bed, on her back with hands folded together on her stomach. Her breaths were even, and she looked as though she were asleep. Nooj knew better though.

"You realize you are making Captain Lucil worry over you."

"And you realize that I didn't invite you to come in. You really should fix the floors to give away intruders. I'll do it, for a nice big bag of Gil." She did not open her eyes at all, nor had she moved.

"Indeed. How do you 'fix' the floor to give them away?" Nooj walked over to one of two chairs in the room and sat down. Rikku cracked one eye open to see his position then promptly shut it again.

"It's called a Nightingale Floor. You fix it so that no matter how you tread on it, it'll make a noise like bird song. That way, no one can sneak up on you. I'd recommend putting it in your office, if no where else. Maybe in front of the barracks too, keep those young 'uns from sneaking off for a secret rendezvous." A very small grin pulled at her lips. "Not that hard, really. It'll piss off your carpenter, though."

"And why is that?"

"I'll have to pull up the floor boards and reset them with wooden pegs instead of nails. He'll have a heart attack or something if he found out about it."

"I'd rather keep the carpenter healthy, thank you. Men of such of skill are rare. I'd be the object of a lynch mob if harm befell him."

"HAHAHA!" It was a real laugh, not the forced laughs he had heard from her. "I can see you, dangling there, with kids hitting your machina leg with sticks to see if you keep candy there...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"If anything, I would keep a bottle of good bourbon, or even some Firewine if I could get my hands on it."

"Firewine, huh?" Rikku was wiping away tears of laughter from her eyes as she spoke. "I haven't laughed like that...in a long time." She finally moved off of the bed, swinging her legs over the side and standing unsteadily. Nooj did not offer to help her, because he knew it would be rebuked, and rudely at that. She made her way over to the dresser, where she fished around in a bag for something. "Aha!" Rikku looked around while holding a small flask in her hands.

"What are you looking for?"

"Glasses. You said you like Firewine. I have some. And I'll share it with you. But, there aren't any glasses..."

"That is easily fixed. Can you walk, or shall I return with some?"

"I'll walk. I think I can manage NOT to fall over. Maybe."

Rikku followed him back to his office, still smiling and without falling over. Laughing seemed to have restored some of her strength and humor. As long as she did not begin to bounce, he would tolerate her good mood. He got her seated in one of two upholstered chairs near the windows. Rain pounded on the windows so hard that it was a sheet of water instead of rivulets against the glass. The warm glow of the lights inside was a welcome comfort on a night like this. Nooj appropriated two glasses and took the other chair at the window. Setting the glasses down, Rikku opened her flask and poured a small amount into each of them.

"To the Great Nooj! Maybe I'll get drunk enough to sleep, huh?"

"I will drink to that."

------------Some time later...--------------------

"...gods was she PISSED at me! I had to run and hide behind the bar for safety!"

Nooj chuckled while Rikku proceeded to laugh and giggle at the same time. It was not a high pitched giggle, so it was tolerable. Then again, with this much Firewine, anything was tolerable. Rikku, surprisingly, held her liquor better than most men. She showed no sign of being sloppily drunk, nor was she loud and obnoxious.

"I'll remember not to put green dye in Paine's shampoo bottle in the future." Rikku snickered at his comment, draining the last of her glass. They had both had four glasses, each with only a few ounces in it. Firewine was potent beyond any other alcoholic beverage in Spira. Three drinks would have most people intoxicated to the point of unconsciousness, so they were both quite drunk. "I do wish Gippal had done that to her instead of substituting salt for sugar in her coffee." This sent Rikku into laughter while Nooj chuckled again.

Neither of them noticed when the door opened and Gippal walked in, dripping wet and looking extremely angry.

"Damn it, Nooj, I know you know where...what the hell?"

Rikku and Nooj looked up when he spoke, and Rikku laughed at Gippal's expression.

"Gippal! Just who we need! Come on!" Rikku got up from her chair, waving extravagantly for Gippal to join them. He removed his rain cape then walked over slowly and sat down when Rikku pushed him to the chair she had just vacated. Rikku frowned slightly. "We need another glass, Nooj! Which of these thingamajigs did you get ours from?"

"The third one on the right, I think. Yes, that's the one." Nooj emptied his own glass as he turned back to face the young man in front of him. "Your face is hilarious, by the way. Best change it before it gets stuck that way." He said with an uncharacteristic smile. Rikku snickered on her way back to the chairs. Gippal was staring at her wide eyed as she sat sideways on his lap. Gippal's hands shot out to keep her from falling over, and wound up around her waist as she leaned over the low table, pouring three glasses from her flask. Nooj took his and gave them a salute with the glass before taking a drink from it. "I wish I had a sphere recorder. This would be excellent blackmail material for me, Gippal."

"Bah! Here! You're four glasses behind us, Gippal! I poured you a double! Come on, show Noogie here how you're supposed to drink Firewine!" She took one of his hands from her waist and placed the glass in it.

"What the hell is going on? Why are you dru-wait did you just call him 'Noogie'?" Gippal asked incredulously.

"Yeah! I made it up for him! I don't think he likes it though, do you Noogie?"

"Only when I've had at least this much Firewine may you call me by that ridiculous name."

"Awww, see Gippal? Noogie's my friend! Come on! Drink up! I told you you're behind us by four. Or is it five? I dunno..."

"Five, if you include the ones we just finished. And if you're going to pass up your drink, I will gladly take it off your hands, Gippal."

"You're...both drunk." Gippal's expression had not changed at all.

"Gee, he's real perspeptive, huh Noogie?"

"Indeed. I think you're more under than I am, Rikku."

"Yeah, but only cause you weigh more than me! If you was the same as me, I'd drink you under the table!"

"I have no doubt you would."

"You're both drunk. Oh man..." Gippal closed his eye and shook his head. He opened it and drained the entire glass in one gulp, shuddering at the taste and the shock to his throat from the fiery liquid. It was called Firewine for a reason. Nooj smiled at him while Rikku was cheering his drinking skills. The young man still looked bewildered, but Nooj could see him beginning to relax. Once the alcohol took effect, he would be as inebriated as they were. "I've got three more to go, Ri."

"YES! That's what I like to hear!" Rikku poured another glass for Gippal very carefully. She was almost at her limit, but according to her logic, if she could still pour it without spilling it, she wasn't drunk enough. Nooj thought it was a sound theory. "Here ya go, Gippal!" She said cheerfully.

"So, what got the two of YOU drinking? Together, I mean."

"Well, see, Noogie here said that if he could, he'd hide some Firewine in his machina leg, and I had some, so I decided to share! Nice a me, huh?"

"I'll say." Gippal took the entire glass in one gulp again, causing the same shudder and twist of his face as the last drink had caused. Rikku managed to pour him another, then tended to her own drink. "Good choice in what to hide there, Noojster."

Nooj could tell the exact moment when the alcohol hit Gippal. One moment he was completely bewildered, and then next, he was leaning back in his chair with a smirk on his face. Nooj had no doubt that it was from having Rikku on his lap. The alcohol was probably helping as well. Rikku was finished with her glass and looking at the flask as though contemplating just how much more was in it.

He watched as she decided against thinking about much of anything, and leaned back against Gippal's chest. Even sitting down Gippal was tall enough that her head came to rest on his neck, just under his chin. If she stayed there, she would be asleep soon. Nooj sighed to himself and drained his glass, reaching for the flask. He found it empty but for a few drops.

"Rikku." She looked up at him. Gippal did as well. "It seems that I owe you a flask of Firewine. This one is officially done for."

"Aww, BOOO! And I can still tell Gippal only has one eye...and he's only had...four glasses?"

"Well, with the flask empty, I think its time you went to bed, young lady."

"Did you hear that, Gippal?" Rikku was laughing. "Noogie called me a 'young lady'!"

"What a crime, Ri, what a crime. I'll make sure he court-martials himself in the morning or something." Rikku snickered, while Gippal ended his statement by finishing his own glass, raising his eyebrows with a smirk at the same time. He was the only person Nooj knew that could smirk and drink at the same time. "Up you go, Ri! Time for bed!"

Rikku pouted, but she set her glass down with a loud clink. She also levered herself up, though she leaned on the chair to keep from toppling over. Gippal got up as well; he was surer of himself than Rikku was. He had to practically hold her up, but she was managing to walk to the door.

"Can you make it, Gippal?"

"Gimme some credit, Noojster, I'm not that drunk. But where's her room? And tell me in the morning to talk to you about hiding my Ri and not telling me."

"Rest assured I won't. In the guest wing, third door on the right. The blue room."

"Thanks."

Nooj watched them go down the hall. _I couldn't have planned that better. Maybe I'll be rid of both of them from now on._ It should have cheered him up to know that things would soon be back to normal. It had the opposite effect.

_Now if I can just decide if I WANT to be rid of them._

**I couldn't resist a drunken Rikku and Gippal exchange. That will be explained in the next chapter. And the nickname Rikku made up…I make myself laugh too much. Anyway, I'm getting a better handle on writing men. And I'm glad that Nooj has a sense of humor underneath all of the death wishes and such.**

**tagg**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry this took so long to update. Two things happened. One, I wanted to change some things completely from what they were. Two, I forgot I had this in my laptop rather than the desktop. Yeah...sorry. So, without further ado, here is the new chapter! **

**I don't own FFX-2 or any of her characters. **

The rain was pouring down in buckets instead of individual drops of water. The torrent was never ending, and would soon take its toll on Spira. Continuous rains like the one currently in existence would not only cause flooding but disease as well. Not to mention the 'cabin fever' epidemic that was sweeping through the ranks of the Youth League. The soldiers were eager for exercise, but the rain prohibited them from doing more than the basic field training. No fights had broken out yet, but it was becoming more of a possibility with each passing day. Normally even-tempered men and women were at each other's throats.

It was not something Nooj was eager to deal with after the previous night's drinking. The only real consequence was a headache, and the feeling that he should have been doing something more constructive than imbibing Firewine.

He had not counted on Rikku having a flask of Firewine. Nooj had thought to use bourbon, so that he would be able to stay more sober and insert a few ideas into Rikku's head. A drunk person, he had discovered, was like a sponge when it came to absorbing ideas. It would be done subconsciously, but the knowledge or instructions would leave a residue behind that would invade thoughts and actions. His plan had been to simply give Rikku the idea that talking to Gippal would not be as bad as she thought it would be.

What he had not counted on was Rikku matching him drink for drink. She would have done the same thing with the bourbon, but that was where the Firewine was a benefit. They were both drunk rather quickly, only Nooj was slightly more sober than she was. He was about to start inserting hints about the situation with Gippal when the young man himself walked in on them. He almost cheered at his appearance. Now the two of them were alone, and most likely too hungover to do anything but talk. If not, there was an elite medical staff at the Youth League Headquarters to deal with anything that could arise.

A knock at his office door announced Captain Lucil's entry. She was punctual to a fault, always delivering the morning reports at the same time everyday. The reports this morning were the usual trivial details that he cared nothing about. Lucil hesitated before leaving for her other duties.

"There is one more thing, sir."

"Yes?"

"It's regarding Rikku. I went to check on her this morning, and I had to use the key to get in."

"And?"

"She wasn't exactly alone, sir. The leader of the Machine Faction was with her. It was nothing compromising, but I thought you ought to know."

"I see." Nooj continued perusing the papers in front of him calmly. "Was he still breathing?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Then there is nothing to worry about. Leave them alone for the time being."

"Yes, sir. May I ask a question?"

"Yes."

"Why did Rikku arrive in the condition she was in? I would think if she were in trouble, the Gullwings would be the ones she'd turn to."

"Sit down, Captain." The woman sat down on the edge of a chair, not leaning back or relaxing as so many people did. Nooj finished reading the piece of paper in his hands and signed it before setting his pen down and looking at her. "This is strictly in confidence, Captain."

"I understand, sir."

"Do you? I think you will, in a moment." Lucil sat unmoving, waiting for him to finish. Nooj chose his words carefully, not wanting to give any more information than he had to. "She came here, of all places, for two reasons. One, for a security measure I wish to add, and two, because she feels she can not go to her friends with her troubles. I agree with her on that point."

"I don't understand, sir."

"Why did you become a soldier, Captain?"

"Because while traveling to a new home in Luca, my family and I were attacked. I was stolen from the small caravan we were traveling with, raped, beaten and left for dead on the side of the road. I became a soldier to prevent that from ever happening again, to me or anyone else."

"Then I will say this. Have a talk with Rikku, after those two make up. The commission she's here to fill will take some time to complete. You will understand why she came here rather than going to her friends."

He watched as her face went from perplexed to shocked. She could work out the details on her own, if she chose to. She took in a small breath, so small that he would not have noticed had he not been watching so closely. Realization dawned on her face as she put two and two together. It had not taken more than twenty seconds.

"I take it this is why Tooram and Blac were dishonored? No, don't answer. That was an unworthy question. Very well." Lucil stood up quickly. "Do you have any other order, sir?"

"No."

"Then I'll be on my way."

**A bit short, but I want it this way. Hehe. Review please! **

**Tagg**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ah, another chapter for your reading pleasure. It takes a long time to write this story, for some reason. Nooj is so abstract to me, but he's getting a little clearer and understandable.**

**I don't own FF X-2 or any of her characters. Just the words are mine. **

"You planned that, didn't you, Nooj?"

Nooj looked up as Gippal spoke, having ignored the younger man when he entered the room.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Gippal." His response only made Gippal scowl at him, but in a playful manner. He watched him sit down, still scowling absentmindedly. "Why are you here? I am rather busy at the moment."

"Three reasons. One, I wanted to annoy you. Two, I wanted to ask you why you were hiding Rikku here."

"I was not 'hiding' her, Gippal. She wished to be left alone, so I allowed it. What is the third reason?"

"Rikku said if I didn't shut up she'd throw up in my boots. At least she isn't running away again." Gippal was still scowling.

"A gruesome fate. I'm glad you fancy my company more than vomit filled footwear."

"I don't 'fancy' anything associated with you, Nooj. Or do you swing that way in private?"

"There are any number of places you might wait for Rikku to get over a hangover. Why must you be in my office?"

"Cause you're more fun to annoy than Lucil. Less dangerous, too. She might try to court marshal me or something."

"Don't be ridiculous." Nooj said, going back to his paperwork. "You are not a member of the Youth League. Captain Lucil has no authority over you."

"Sweet! So I can call her Carrot Top and get away with it?"

"She would skewer you instead of court marshal you."

"Right. I forgot she uses a sword. Scary woman." Gippal adjusted his position in the chair, slouching in a way that make Nooj's spine protest at the mere thought of imitating. "You know, Noojster, I'm still mad at you for hiding her."

"Are you really."

"Yeah."

"I am quite happy for you."

"You really don't give a shit that I'm mad at you, do you?"

"No. If you are that angry, then leaving my office would elevate your mood substantially."

"I'd be wandering around alone if I did that. I want some company."

Gippal managed to spend the better part of two hours pestering Nooj while he worked, or attempted to work. The Al Bhed man would stay silent for a while, leading Nooj into thinking he could concentrate, then ask a question right when his pen hit the paper. Just before Nooj was about to physically throw the younger man out the door, said door opened and shut. Rikku stood in front of his desk, tight lipped and frowning at him. Her skin was pale, almost green tinted, hinting at the severity of her hangover.

"You planned that."

"Do I come off as such a devious person? I planned nothing of the sort."

"Right. And I'm a Hypello."

"While most Hypello are blue, I'm sure there are a few whose skin is the same green as yours is at the moment." Her eyes narrowed at him, but he ignored it. "Are the two of you going to begin using my office as a lounge?"

"Damn it, Nooj, I-"

"Shouldn't you be talking with Gippal instead of me?" Rikku flinched as though he had hit her. She started to visibly shake while clenching her hands into fists. Gippal sat motionless in his chair, afraid that calling attention to himself would make Rikku run off again. After nearly a minute spent in total fury, Rikku regained her composure and relaxed her hands. She walked to the door, pausing before turning the handle. Gippal was watching her, the emotions clearly visible on his face. The longing Nooj saw there was almost tangible. Rikku turned to look at Gippal, not giving him time to change his expression.

She simply held out her hand to him. Gippal was out of his seat in a heartbeat, taking the outstretched hand in his own before following her out the door.

Nooj tossed his pen down and leaned back in his chair, frowning at the now empty office. He had been trying to get Gippal to vacate that chair for hours, and Rikku did nothing more than hold out a hand and Gippal was gone.

_At the very least, I now have a way to remove Gippal from my presence without causing bodily harm._

For the next two days, Gippal followed Rikku around like a puppy. Nooj imagined his ears perked up whenever she spoke. Rikku tolerated this behavior for some odd reason. Before, she avoided him at all costs. Now Rikku would look over her shoulder at Gippal, making sure he was still there. Her eyes would hold fear in them until they settled on his face, and disbelief when they found him standing or sitting beside her.

Gippal took any and all opportunities to touch her. He would hold her hand walking down a hallway or slip an arm around her waist as they rounded a corner. Anyone that chanced by the room they shared might catch a glimpse of them on the bed, apparently napping.

Nooj knew this because the rain forced everyone indoors and their company was often forced upon him. Rikku was outside his office, taking measurements and looking at blueprints. Gippal, as always, was beside her, helping in some manner or another. Nooj had taken to leaving the door open for short periods of time so that he could watch them interact.

"The only thing missing, is a violin playing in the background."

"Yes, sir." Lucil had handed him the day's reports and orders with her usual precision. Never a minute late, those reports would be on his desk whether or not he was present. "Here is the expense report submitted by Rikku for the modifications as well."

"What does she think we are, a bank? This is preposterous. Rikku, a word with you, please."

"Yeah?" Rikku walked in, followed by Gippal. She looked as exhausted as the day she first arrived, but there was one difference. This exhaustion was not caused by anything detrimental. She was simply losing sleep because of Gippal instead of the nightmares in her mind.

"Is this price accurate?"

"Yeah."

"Ridiculous. You are modifying a floor, not building a new wing."

"It'll take me one week to fully install. The pegs have to be hand made and I need to replace parts of the floor frame as well. I gave you a discounted rate, too. It's normally twice that for this amount of work."

"Tell me why this is worth the price."

"Neither of us will be able to shakey-shake our way in here through the door. I don't know what you're complaining about, Nooj. It's not all that much."

"You say that because you do not have as many expenses as the Youth League."

"I say that cause you're trying to barter. No way. That's the price for it, take it or leave it."

"Very well. I expect it to be done before the week is over."

"Don't be an ass, Nooj. Or I'll leave you with a huge hole in your floor and take that safe with me."

"Remind me never to haggle with you over anything."

"Sure. Anything else?" Nooj shook his head and she and Gippal left. Lucil watched them go with an odd expression.

"What is it, Captain?"

"I was wondering how that young woman can continue being awake and functioning with little or no sleep."

"One gets used to it, Captain."

**Ah, I can just see Gippal as a little puppy, wagging his tail as Rikku pets him. What a cute doggy that would be! **

**Tagg**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Been a while, huh? I've been ill, so nothing has been posted or updated or even written! So sad, but true. Here is an update for this one, at least. Thank the random reviewer who left the comment about the 'bare' style of this story for this update. **_

_**I do not own FF X-2 or any of her characters. I simply use them.**_

_One gets used to not sleeping much. _At first, lack of sleep is due to the desire to forget something, then it simply becomes habit. Nooj could not go to sleep before two in the morning if he wanted to. The body becomes used to the constant exhaustion, and functions properly with what little rest it receives. So many tasks are completed, a person begins to wonder just why, exactly, people require so much sleep. The extra hours in the day give more productivity. They also give a small sense of peace in the late hours of the night when not even the hardiest of warriors are awake. There are no disturbances, no voices startling the night owl out of their wits or interrupting their work.

_One definitely gets used to not sleeping much. _Nooj looked out of his office door, seeing Rikku there, waist deep in a hole that was once a highly polished floor. She was fitting the new pieces of a frame into place, gently pounding them with a rubber mallet. Several small boxes of wooden pegs were within easy reach, each box holding a different size peg. She would periodically pound one into the frame she was building around the original.

Rikku was alone, Gippal having left for Djose yesterday. He had not been happy about leaving, but he had no choice. Too much of his time had been spent chasing after, and then staying with, Rikku. He had made her promise to come and see him when she was done at the Youth League headquarters. She agreed, surprisingly, and even smiled at him before he left.

_I wonder if Rikku has insomnia because she can not sleep or if it is because she will not. If she will not, then I wonder which dreams haunt her, ones from the past or the present?_

It was decidedly odd for Nooj to concern himself with anyone. He was usually too busy contemplating his own death to think of another person. Yet, here he was, involved in Rikku's personal life, and with no idea how it happened. He had come to Rikku by chance, and was now unable to tear his attention away from her problems.

_Perhaps this is how Yuna feels regarding the problems of Spira. _

Yuna's genuine concern for the welfare of Spira and its denizens was slightly sickening. Such blatant caring for people who will never be a direct part of her life was beyond his understanding. At least Rikku was concerned with herself and those closest to her. If she were slightly suicidal, Rikku would make an excellent Deathseeker.

_Then again, she would attempt to make it a 'club', with passwords and official pins and hats. Better to keep her interested in living. _

Keeping her interested in living meant keeping her interested in Gippal. Gippal had somehow managed to breath life into the dead part of Rikku's soul. No one would really notice unless they were looking closely. Her shoulders no longer slumped, and she became more easily distracted from her task. Lucil had been able to take Rikku away from the hole she had made in the floor and talk about colored metal for nearly an hour. Food made its way into her stomach without protest.

The most important thing was a lack of new cuts and scars. Nooj had been relieved to find this so, then irritated for not knowing why he was relieved.

"Why'd you let her make such a big hole in the floor, Noojie? I had to jump my way in here, and you know how I hate jumping in heels."

Nooj tore his attention away from Rikku and set it on LeBlanc. The woman was still wearing that ridiculous purple outfit. It suited her, and him on occasion. So few impediments when aroused. LeBlanc shut the door before sauntering up to him.

"You would find your way in here if that hole was there or not, so why complain?" He saw her pout slightly when he went back to his paperwork.

"You're not sneaking around with that Dullwing, are you love?"

"Tempting, but no. She belongs in Gippal's bed, not mine."

"WHAT!" Nooj winced, thinking of how she sounded more like a squawking chicken than a grown woman. "Why that little thief! I'll just go have a talk with her about spending time around my Noojie."

"You will do nothing of the sort." He heard her stomp a foot. "Did you not hear what I said earlier? She is not in my bed, nor will she be. If I have my way, once she is finished fixing that floor she will be scampering off into the sunset with Gippal and out of my hair."

"Really, love?"

_Isn't that just the question, Nooj? You have found something that distracts you without pleasure or pain. Are you really going to give that up?_

"Yes."


	9. Chapter 9

**As always, I don't own FF X-2 or any characters therein. **

Bevelle, as always, was breathtaking. A city situated on the edge of a giant waterfall could not help but have breathtaking scenery. The mist generated by the waterfall reflected light from the sunrise perfectly, creating countless rainbows and prisms that engulfed the area. The buildings were awe inspiring. Tourists were easy to spot, since their necks were always craned to see the top of the cathedral.

_Whoever decided to use blue feathers and jewels for decorating has horrible taste. _Nooj could not decide which city he disliked more, Luca or Bevelle. Both had a dark side, only Bevell's dark side was deeply rooted in Spira's history. Despite his disagreement with the decorator, there was little Nooj had to complain about during his brief stays in Bevelle. Baralai made certain that he and the other guests had comfortable lodgings in the heart of the city. _I could do without the servants stumbling over one another to serve me, though. _

"That meeting was longer than I liked."

"I apologize for that, Lady Yuna." Nooj watched Baralai bow slightly from the corner of his eye.

"Oh, it's alright. You're the one who has to deal with Paine after she's waited four hours to see you."

"Yes. I will have to make it up to her. Lady Yuna, Nooj, are you leaving immediately?"

"I have to wait for Brother to get back, so no."

"Well, then would you care to-"

"Relax, Baralai." Gippal said, slapping his friend on the back and grinning. "You don't have to invite them to eat every single time they're here. Hey, Noojster, how's that new gadget holding up? I forgot to ask last time I saw you."

"It works perfectly." The 'gadget' was a safe, one more accessible yet more secure than it's predecessor. "I have yet to find a way to keep Al Bhed out of my office, though."

"What? You don't like visitors? Here I thought we were buddies." Nooj had no chance to respond. Gippal's head shot up like a dog hearing its master whistle. The younger man slapped Baralai's back once again and started to walk off into the crowd. "I'll see you later."

"What was that about?" Yuna asked, turning to her companions. Baralai shrugged, indicating his ignorance. "Nooj? Do you know something we don't?"

"What Gippal does on his own time is his business. But if you must know, Rikku is waiting for him at that fountain."

"WHAT?!" He had to restrain Yuna from running to her cousin. "Let me go! She's been out of contact with everyone for weeks! I'm going to knock her socks clear off."

"No. Stop and look before you rush in and destroy what is left of your relationship with her." Nooj let her arm go and watched the ex-summoner search the crowds around a nearby fountain. Her eyes widened in surprise when she found Rikku. Nooj turned to look as well, and found her walking away from the benches, arm entwined with Gippal's and smiling at him.

"When...did that happen?" The question was directed at Nooj, even though her eyes followed her cousin. Baralai was wearing the same shocked expression as Yuna.

"Does it matter?"

"But-"

"Yuna. Leave them be." He left her standing there and began walking to his inn. Baralai walked beside him, hands clasped behind his back. "Is there a reason you are following me?"

"That was a bit harsh to say, don't you think?"

"No. After all the trouble those two have caused me, I have no wish to be dragged back into the muck by Yuna's misguided attempts to 'fix things'."

"So you do know what happened."

"Brat." Baralai had a way of weaseling information out of people without them being aware of it. It was an irritating ability to have in a friend when there were secrets to be kept. The younger man was smiling benevolently while walking.

"At least Gippal will be easier to deal with. I never thought he'd become so upset over a girl. I wonder how long it will be before they get married."

"That is no concern of mine."

"I asked him what was making him so miserable and he said 'If you gotta know, Rikku won't even talk to me. The one girl I want to marry, and she won't talk to me.' He threw one of his tools at the machine he was messing with."

"How long are you going to elaborate on this? I have other things to think about."

"Just a bit longer. And I do think you care about what happens to them. I'd like to know why that is." Nooj remained silent, not willing to admit that Baralai was correct. "I think, that you found out something about one of them that piqued your interest. I can't picture Gippal doing anything that interesting, so it has to be Rikku."

"Is there a point to any of this? Or have you become a gossiping old woman?"

"I suppose there isn't a point that you would see. Have a good day, Nooj. Feel free to join me for lunch."

Nooj watched Baralai walk away for a moment, then continued on his way. The canals and waterways throughout the city provided quick transportation to wherever a person needed to go, but Nooj preferred to walk. There was a certain satisfaction gained from getting to a destination with one's own feet, even if one of those feet was a machina.

The people milled about, none of them in a hurry but the messengers; they darted through the pedestrian traffic with practiced ease. Few people recognized him. Those that did would nod or bow to him as he walked past. None attempted to speak with him. It was just as well, since he was in no mood to make pleasantries with strangers.

His rooms awaited him, providing him with a silent and peaceful refuge from the throngs of people outside. He sat down in an overstuffed chair that faced a large window with a view of the passing clouds instead of people. As time went by, the clouds became gray and menacing, once again threatening Spira with a downpour. Nooj imagined the entire population sighing at the sight. He only hoped it was not an omen of things to come. The last downpour brought Rikku into his office uninvited.

"There you are, love! I was looking all over for you."

"What are you doing here, LeBlanc?"

"That's no way to talk to someone who came to visit you, love." LeBlanc sat herself down on his lap, which offered a superb view of her breasts. Nooj barely spared her a glance.

"I'm in no mood for you to visit."

"Oh, come now, Noojie. I went through all the trouble of bribing a servant to give me a key." The woman pouted at him slightly. He could not figure out why she tried pouting as often as she did. It had no affect on him.

"Hmmf." He toyed with the idea of letting her have her way. She could provide a temporary distraction from his thoughts. The woman was adept at pleasing men. Nooj wondered, briefly, just how many men enjoyed her attentions when he was not around. "Why did you come all the way here?"

"Because, love, I don't want you to get interested in that Dullwing. She can't and won't make you feel as good as I can, and you know it."

"I have no way of telling such a thing without a sample."

"You're NOT getting one!"

"So you say. And how many men 'visit' you in Guadosalam? Don't attempt to stop me from taking pleasure where I wish when you do the same." LeBlanc stood up, ready to storm out of his room. "You should put your dress back on if you leave. People here are more modest than you."

"Hhhhn!" LeBlanc did indeed storm out of his room, slamming doors in her wake. Nooj shook his head and returned to watching the storm gathering its strength. The clouds roiled and darkened to charcoal gray as they neared Bevelle. He took a great deal of pleasure in knowing that the ridiculous feathers adorning every building would be ruined and washed away once the rain began.

_If only the rain could wash away everything else I dislike in this world. Then again, I wouldn't be here to enjoy it. I wonder if Rikku would be here if the rain washed away everything SHE disliked? _

Rain had a long history of making people think. There has yet to be an answer as to why that is, but it still remained a fact. Rain has power, certainly, especially over the mind. It casts a pall over the world, a dreary, gray haze that obscures the senses. Nooj rather enjoyed the lack of sunlight and warmth. It matched the state of his soul more often than not; dark, foreboding and silent.

The silence of the world during a storm is the most deafening thing. Certainly the rain creates a noise of its own, yet Nooj had watched the world cease to move when it fell. The rain is all there is. It causes a person to stare out the window, and wish that the rain could wash away the stains of the soul. The way it comes and goes, leaving no trace of where it had been centered or where it will go causes a certain kind of envy in human beings. There is no true way to remove their troubles, yet people yearn to stand beneath the downpour and release everything, allowing them to begin anew in a place quite unexpected. The puddles would be full of their doubts and fears, leaving them a clean vessel.

To be free from the constraints of life is a wondrous dream. It has consumed many, some seeking penance while others seek to forgive. As of yet, none have been able to release the darkness within. They strive for it like a plant yearning for the sun but never quite reaching it. Once the dream has been given up, they fall to the side of the road and let the rain camouflage their tears and their worries. They can wrap themselves in their misery and have none the wiser.

He wondered, sometimes, what would happen if the rain stoped and found the dream had come true. Perhaps the misery that was washed away would be too deep and he would drown in it. How very ironic, to die from the very thing that was so sought after.

Rain is an ill omen indeed. Perhaps this time there would be no Al Bhed intruders waiting in his office for him. Although if they brought a flask of Firewine, Nooj might be persuaded to forgive them.


End file.
